Tulane’s Fifth Annual New Orleans Book Festival

Festival Lineup and Schedule Details

NEW ORLEANS (press release) – The Fifth Annual New Orleans Book Festival at Tulane University returns March 12-15 with four days of free public programming. Tulane welcomes readers from across the country. 

The festival will feature more than 100 sessions and over 250 authors, artists and storytellers, with nationally recognized voices including Kenny Chesney, Anderson Cooper, Dax Shepard and Nicole Richie appearing in public conversations alongside Louisiana authors and cultural leaders. 

See the full Fifth Annual New Orleans Book Festival lineup.

Now in its fifth year, organizers share that the festival is expected to draw approximately 20,000 attendees, making it one of the largest literary gatherings in the Gulf South.

The event celebrates books, storytelling, music, cuisine and culture while also generating meaningful tourism benefits for the region, bringing visitors to New Orleans hotels, restaurants and local businesses. 

With free admission and a national lineup, the festival offers a unique cultural experience just a short drive away for audiences across Louisiana. 

Festival Schedule

Thursday, March 12, 5 – 7 p.m. 

Two sessions at 5 p.m. and 6 p.m.

• 5 p.m. – America at 250: Opening Night with The Atlantic | Ken Burns, Annette Gordon-Reed, Walter Isaacson + Clint Smith | Moderated by: Jeffrey Goldberg
  • Where: McAlister Auditorium
• 6 p.m. – Conflicts Shaping the Global Future | Gen. Stanley McChrystal + George Packer | Moderated by: Jeffrey Goldberg
  • Where: McAlister Auditorium

Friday, March 13, 10 a.m. – 5:45 p.m. 

Sessions begin at 10 a.m. and end with a 5:15 p.m. book signing.

• 5:15 p.m. – Book Signing: Sophie Cull, Calvin Duncan, Freddi Williams Evans, Michelle K. Johnston, Daniel Kehlmann, Nicholas Lalla, Wendy Rodrigue Magnus, George Packer, Anna Rita Scott, Ayo Scott, Nick Weldon
  • Where: Book Signing Tent – Berger Family Lawn

Saturday, March 14, 9 a.m. – 6:30 p.m. 

Sessions begin at 9 a.m. and end with a 5 p.m. musical celebration.

• 9 a.m. – A Conversation with Don Lemon | Moderated by: Tim Miller
  • Where: Avron B. Fogelman Arena at Devlin Fieldhouse
• 5 p.m. – Musical Celebration with Big Chief Bo Dollis Jr. & the Wild Magnolias
  • Where: Festival Tent presented by The Hyatt Regency New Orleans, Berger Family Lawn

Sunday, March 15, 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. 

A musical performance will start the day, with readings and sessions for family day beginning at 10:30 a.m. To start the day, the New Voices New Orleans Choir will perform at 10 a.m. at Avron B. Fogelman Arena at Devlin Fieldhouse on the Family Day Main Stage.

• 10 a.m. – The New Voices New Orleans Choir performance
  • Where: Avron B. Fogelman Arena at Devlin Fieldhouse on the Family Day Main Stage
• 1:50 p.m. (the last reading) – Adam Dennis | The Boy from the Swamp
  • Where: Avron B. Fogelman Arena at Devlin Fieldhouse on the Family Day Main Stage

Explore all sessions with full details at bookfest.tulane.edu/schedule.